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Friday, February 20, 2009

'Jail is just like being on holiday': Killer boasts on Facebook from his prison cell

By Daily Mail Reporter

A convicted killer has boasted on Facebook that being in jail is like being on holiday.

Ashley Graham even put up a picture of himself on the social networking website ‘relaxing’ in his cell.

The 27-year-old is serving life at HMP Lindholme in South Yorkshire for stabbing a man through the heart.

But he manages to access Facebook every day by using a mobile phone that was smuggled in to the jail.

The killer's boasts are likely to reignite claims that prisoners enjoy an easy life in Britain's jails.

Ashley Graham

Relaxing: Convicted killer Ashley Graham put this picture of him in jail on Facebook. He claims being in prison is like being on holiday

In one update Graham wrote: ‘HMP Holiday’s a place where men can come for a nice relaxin break from their moanin women and crying kids. No stress just rest.’

Astonishingly his friends on the social networking site agreed.

Graeme Crockett replied: ‘Loving the status. Could do wid a nice relaxing break in HMP Ranby or Sunbury again.’

Graham even got messages from a woman claiming to be his wife.

On January 25, Emma Campbell Graham, wrote: ‘Hi hubbi. Been a while since I put some loving on your wall. Wifee is missing you. Not to long til I am in your arms baby. Love you x.’

Graham was jailed after killing Roy Henry in February 2001 when he tried to stop him and an accomplice entering a café to attack another man.

HMP Lindholme has a games room, TV room with DVDs and an activities centre for computer classes.

The Prison Service said measures would be introduced this Spring which would stop prisoners using mobile phones in prisons.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'Prisoners are not allowed access to mobile phones or the Internet – an investigation is underway and appropriate action is being taken.

'During Spring 2009 Body Orifice Security Scanners ('BOSS chairs') will be introduced estate wide. These will be supported by high sensitivity metal detectors and mobile phone signal detectors.'

Earlier this year certain prisons in London launched a scheme to allow prisoners limited access to websites in order to let them resettle in their community and apply for jobs.

The scheme allowed prisoners to visit pre-approved websites to take part in online learning and job hunting.

Prisoners were blocked from browsing beyond a list of approved sites and access to 'uncontrolled email' was stopped.

But security fears marred the scheme's initial launch in 2007 after Home Office ministers raised concerns that the proper safeguards were not in place.

It is not the first time that criminals have been caught using Facebook, which is supposed to be family friendly.

Last month the family of murder victim Tony Harrington were outraged after discovering his killer ran a Facebook page from Ford Open Prison in West Sussex.

Andrew McVicar, 25, was serving a life sentence for ramming a broken bottle in the 19-year-old’s jugular vein on Christmas Eve 1998.

And earlier this month it was revealed that hundreds of British drug dealers had infiltrated the site in a bid to attract new victims.

Gangs have set up special groups aimed at encouraging people who join to start smoking super-strong ‘skunk’ cannabis.

One was labelled Smoke Weed Everyday and included several messages by users interested in buying the drug.

Original here

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